How to Draw a Lily

The lily is a flower with deep symbolic meaning. The flower has been included in artwork dating back as far as 1580 B.C., nearly 4,000 years ago. In various times and cultures, lilies have been symbols of innocence, wealth, sympathy, or friendship. Lilies are also used to represent the 30th wedding anniversary.

Would you like to be able to draw this epic flower? Follow this easy, step-by-step tutorial. All you will need to begin is a piece of paper and something with which to draw, such as a pencil, pen, or marker. Optionally, you may use crayons, colored pencils, paint, or any other coloring tool to bring your finished drawing to life.

In the illustrations in the guide below, lines and shading new to each step will be highlighted in blue. Sketch lightly at first, as you will be erasing some of your earliest lines, called guide lines.

For what will you use your lily drawing skills? Make a thank you card, an anniversary card, or a sympathy card. Decorate your notebook, your t-shirt - anything you'd like. This elegant flower will help you add a splash of color and serenity wherever you draw it.

Watch 'How to Draw a Lily' Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing a Lily

Draw another open, irregular oval below the first, connecting at the point of the opening.

Draw a third open, irregular oval, connected to the second.

Draw a fourth open shape using a curved line. It should connect to the third oval.

Using two curved lines in and "M" shape, draw two more open ovals, closing the gap between the first and the fourth. The resulting shape will resemble an irregular flower.

Next, begin to extend your petals. Use curving lines to extend the three petals on the left of the flower to blunt points.

Use curved lines to extend the three petals on the right to form blunt points.

Erase the lines of the original ovals that cross your newly formed petals.

Now you will begin to draw the lily's anthers. From the center of the flower, extend two curving, parallel lines. Connect the lines by drawing a small oval between them at the tip.

Draw another anther extending upwards from the flower's center. Again, draw two curved, parallel lines, connected by a small oval.

Draw two more anthers extending from between the first two anthers. Each will consist of two curved, parallel lines and a small oval.

Erase the guide lines visible within the top two anthers.

Add some detail to the flower's petals. Begin by drawing a small "U" shaped line at the flower's center, just below the base of the anthers. Then, extend a graceful curving line from the flower's center towards the tip of each petal. This forms the detail of the petal vein.

Next, draw the stem. Extend two long, curving, parallel lines from the bottom of the flower. Connect the two lines with a small oval at the bottom.

Begin the leaf. From the right side of the stem, extend a curved line up towards the petal. From that line, extend another, slightly curved line to the right. This will form the vein of the leaf.

Next, draw two wavy lines to form the leaf. The lines will run nearly parallel along the leaf's stem, bulge outward to form the body of the leaf, and meet at a point just beyond the end of the leaf vein.

You will repeat this process to form a second leaf. Begin by drawing a curved line extending from the left side of the stem.

Draw the leaf using two wavy lines, extending out at the leaf's body and coming together in a point.

Many lilies have speckled petals. Add this detail to your lily. Draw small dots, circles, and open circles on each side of the petal vein lines. Extend the vein line on two of the petals using a short, straight line.

Color and shade your lily. Lilies come in many colors, but we suggest shading like the well-known Easter lily. Simply shade the petals in tones of white and cream, using a light green to color the anthers, the flower center, and the area around the veins.

See, that was pretty easy. If you'd like to find more easy drawing guides, check out my website or social media pages:

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